have you heard of bad ass book club?
In a previous life, before the rigors of toddler rearing and the grind of a 9 - 5, I wrote books.
(Three, to be precise: but that’s a tale for another time).
I went to and participated in a lot of gatherings focused on books. Stuffy ones in famous writer’s living rooms. Formal ones in classrooms hovered around a projector and a laser pointer, dissecting quotes and writer’s intentions. The crowds were usually pretty white, of a certain socio-economic bracket, and (just my humble opinion), the conversations were usually centered around the least interesting questions.
Then in 2015, I took a job (their first one, to be precise!) with The Festival of Literary Diversity, Canada's first festival for diverse authors and storytellers and I learned it could be done differently. The FOLD’s Artistic Director, Jael Richardson, wanted to address a few issues at once: firstly, who the conversations about books were between and secondly, what those conversations were about. Now in its tenth year, the FOLD prides itself on hosting “engaging events that cultivate urgent conversations.”
The thing about urgent conversations is they’ve got no time for “the norms.”
The “norms” that dictate how we act in any given social dynamic are invisible, which makes them difficult to pin down – and that’s why they’re so effective. They have a job to do. In their book We’re All Neurodiverse, Sonny Jane Wise outlines characteristics of White Supremacy Culture that operate to “keep us in line,” such as a belief that there’s only one right way to do things, a binary of good/bad, and a fear of open conflict which will result in labelling emotional reactions as “irrational.” These norms pull us, silently but consistently, away from juicy debate and into well-mannered juggling games around issues that might make us feel things.
Yawn.
Listen – I’m neurodivergent, so small talk makes me uncomfortable… like, on an existential level. I’d rather have a conversation with a stranger about intergenerational trauma cycles than talk about winter weather trends any day. But also: we need urgent conversations now. Ones that force us to reckon with the state of the world and its people. Hate crimes are on the rise. Trans and immigrant’s rights are being stripped. Climate emergencies threaten our children’s futures. And to top it off, our algorithms are rigged to sell us an angle of these topics via sexy propaganda that looks like fact and keeps us moving away from logic and closer to fascism than freedom.
I’ve got no interest in being nice anymore. I want conversations that stir me up and reorganize my imagination. Ones that acknowledge the hard things and the questions that don’t have clear answers. Ones that break down privilege and build up empathy. Ones that ask us, in a deep and real way, to see each other again and to remember our shared humanity.
Talking about potentially polarizing issues through a book is the way to do life-changing conversations. That’s why in 2017 I created Bad Ass Book Club (BABC). I’ve hosted nine events since then and each one has changed me for the better. The rules are simple: come as you are, read the book if you have time, and if not: I’ve got a user guide to keep us on purpose. Expect a lively, provocative, and bias-bending good time.
I just finished a BABC on May 3 at Wild Heart Yoga. Our book was Yoga Revolution. If you missed it don’t worry. Watch my Instagram page for updates on the next one.